Please help! (new owner)

Hey everyone!

I bought a akc registered black lab about 2 months ago. He's 3 months old now. And I can't potty train him!! I bring him outside and he comes right back in and pees and poops on the floor. My house is smelling like a large doggy potty room!! Any suggestions??

2 suggestions - when you bring him outdoors, have him leashed and stay out until he actually goes. This may take some time and you will need to be patient. When he does go - PRAISE LIKE CRAZY! Big party! Use a key word - like go pee - and he will eventually associate the words with what he is doing.

Also - if he has been peeing/pooping indoors he likely sees that as the appropriate place to go. First - you need to make sure that all of the odor is gone from the places he has been going. That needs more than just Mr. Clean. If you use an enzymatic cleaner (Like Natures Miracle) or simply use vinegar after cleaning with a cleaner - you will eliminate the odor that only the dog can smell. Next - he cannot be loose in the house. Keep him tethered to you with a leash so you can interrupt him and take him out when he starts acting like he is about to pee/poop. If you cannot watch him - he should be in his crate.

Never punish for accidents - don't shove his nose in it either. That will not help.

Consistency on your part doing the above will yield one house trained puppy in a few weeks. If you slip up - this could go on and on for a LONG time.

my big mistake was to let my pup have the run of the house. for some reason its important to keep them in one area of the house.until their house trained. try to get outside every half hour to an hour is important.im shure there are others here with better advice.if there is a Petsmart or somewhere with obedience training they maybe able to help you out.

When I was potty training I used to have to walk Bailey for about a half hour at times before she would go. Sometimes I felt like I was walking her forever before she would poop. Peeing she was quicker with. I also took her out every two hours or so...this way she knew she had to go outside. I never gave her the opportunity to go inside. I wouldn't come back in until she went. She did have the occasional accident, but this was very rare. I had her trained pretty quickly and after a couple of months I didn't have to take her out as often. It took a lot of patience and required me to stay calm, not showing her I was frustrated.

I suggest taking him out more often (not sure how often you take him out) and staying out until he goes. Don't give him the opportunity to go inside.

Tucker was a difficult dog to housetrain as well - he was around 5 months old when I got him so while I crate trained him, I had to walk him to and from the crate as opposed to picking him up...I would stand outside for a half hour, he wouldn't do anything, then we would come in and he would go on the floor...

The thing that worked for me (this is kind of gross so be forwarned )...when he peed, I bought a huge sponge, mopped it up and rung it out outside where I wanted him to pee...when he pooped, I picked it up and put it outside where I wanted him to poop...I would them walk him out to those spots and let him sniff and see it...eventually, he got it. Good luck! I know how frustrating it is!!

One big key is when you praise him. Make sure to do it about 4 seconds into his potty. That way he knows the action he is currently doing is what he is getting praise for. Also, make sure you are taking him out on a regular basis. Make yourself a schedual, for potty and food time and stick with it. Keep your cool you can do it!

Fully agree with the above - take the puppy out OFTEN and MAKE SURE HE PEES/POOS. This may mean you spend alot of time outside with the puppy but it has to be done. When indoors, keep tabs on the puppy at all times to catch accidents BEFORE they happen. At that age often can be every few hours. When the dog pees/poos outside reward (very high pitch voice, good boy good boy) - your entire body needs to sceam "good boy!"

The house should no smell either - if you smell it the dog can most certainly smell it as well and to him that is a sign this is his potty place and he will keeping going Do a good clean up using an odor neutralizer (Natures Miracle of Bob Pr's suggestion).

Ideally the pup should be crated when you cannot supervise (i.e. are cooking, in the shower, busy with other chore).

Hi,
My name is Rosemarie and I own an 8 month old yellow lab named Miss Butters Bella, I bought her when she was 2 months old and I had the same exact problem!! I would let her out to potty and she would come back in and pee and poop on my floors every time. What worked for me, when I moved and had a fenced in backyard and I would stick to one command...I would say it firmly and often as soon as I would put her out after she peed or pooped in the house i would say firmly and loud.."GO POTTY". Or after she would do her business int he house I would speak in a very firm loud voice and say to her "NO POTTY IN HOUSE" YOU POTTY OUTSIDE"!!! Then I would put her right out in the backyard and say Over and Over again.."GO POTTY". Repetition and consistency is what works! It was a long struggle however with repetition and being consistent it eventually worked and now she is completely potty trained, but it took a lot of time and patience with her and staying on top of her and picking up on her signs of when she needed to potty. You can tell when they start to sniff around or walk in circles. hang in there it does get better, some people said to crate her...but that didn't work. for some reason it confused her more, an animal will not go potty where they lay or sleep, but that didn't work for my stubborn princess...lol. If you have any questions please feel free to ask...remember always reward her or him when she or he does good things...like say Good boy or girl"...pat her on the back or give her or him a treat...good luck and keep patient and positive ..it will work out..it just takes some time....Rosemarie

Can't add much to what has been said. I did many of the same things that were said here especially the priase. I also gave them a little treat when they would go. Also, like others said, getting the smell completely out of the house is really important. Nature's Miracle is awesome for that too! Good luck!